Bishop Kevin Robertson of the diocese of Toronto has posted an article on Facebook about the Lambeth Calls document that was released last week, days ahead of the Lambeth Conference. He was a member of the Human Dignity Call drafting group that wrote the Call. Kevin says the group did not discuss the reaffirmation of Lambeth I.10 and it never appeared in any of the early drafts of their work together. He says that the Human Dignity Call in its current form does not represent the mind of the drafting group and distances himself from the reaffirmation of Lambeth I.10 in the strongest possible way.
Bishop Kevin and Mohan Sharma, his husband, had their relationship blessed in 2016 according to the Pastoral Guidelines of the Diocese of Toronto and were married at St. James Cathedral under the marriage provision of the same guidelines.
The Rt Revd Gregory Cameron, bishop of St Asaph, says that he didn’t see the amended final version of the Unity Statement that includes the reference to Lambeth 1.10 until the Calls document was published last week. I’m assuming bishop Gregory was also a member of the drafting group but have been unable to find a list of the members.
I was at the plenary session of the 1998 Lambeth Conference when in a hostile, angry atmosphere that Bishop Peter Selby said was like a Nuremberg rally, over a three hour session, amendments were argued over and voted from. The result was the highly controversial and ambivalently worded resolution 1.10. That it has been inserted into the Human Dignity Call at the last minute is an outrage, replicating the abusive origins of Lambeth 1.10 itself.
Bishop Kevin’s post
Dear Facebook friends,
Like many of you, I have been shocked and dismayed by the Lambeth Call on Human Dignity which, in part, calls upon the bishops to reaffirm Lambeth Resolution I.10 (1998). That 24-year-old resolution, for which there was no consensus even then, limits the definition of marriage to a man and a woman in a lifelong union. I strongly oppose the proposal to reaffirm this resolution at the upcoming Lambeth Conference, and have conveyed this to the Archbishop of Canterbury. I believe it would significantly set back the pursuit of justice and the respect for the dignity of every human person to which we are called in baptism. Moreover, as a gay man married to another man, my understanding and experience of human dignity includes the blessing of two people joined together in holy marriage, regardless of gender.
What is more disturbing is that, as a member of the Human Dignity Call drafting group, I never agreed to this Call in its current form. At no point in our meetings did we discuss the reaffirmation of Lambeth I.10 at the Conference, and it never appeared in any of the early drafts of our work together. I can confidently say that the Human Dignity Call in its current form does not represent the mind of the drafting group, and I distance myself from the reaffirmation of Lambeth I.10 in the strongest possible ways. I also unequivocally reject the phrase within the Call, "It is the mind of the Anglican Communion as a whole that same gender marriage is not permissible." This statement is simply not true.
With others, I am seeking to amend the Human Dignity Call over the coming hours and days. I am hopeful that this is possible. There are many things in the document that do reflect the good work of the drafting group and would be tremendously positive for the Church and the world, especially the call to protect human dignity with particular attention to sexuality and gender. So, I very much hope that the Human Dignity Call can be amended rather than rejected. Please pray for a positive outcome to this work.
To my siblings in the LGBTQ2S+ community: remember that you are deeply loved and cherished. Our place in this beloved Church is not dependent on any resolution or call. By virtue of the fact that we are fearfully and wonderfully made by our loving Creator, and redeemed through Christ, this is our Church. And we belong - fully.